Austria
VIENNA
RECOMMENDED BY Martin Simion
The soaring towers of St. Stephen's Cathedral. The lilting voices of the Boys' Choir wafting out from Hofburg Chapel. The uncanny choreography of the Lipizzaner Stallions. The splendor of Sch?nbrunn Palace.
And a surprising array of beer styles you might not expect from this storied city on the shores of the Danube.
"Most beer lovers know that Vienna is the birthplace of modern lager brewing," Martin Simion began, "and they know of the city's famous wine taverns, or Heurige. But they may not know that, since the early 1990s, many small breweries and brewpubs have sprung up and now are an important part of the city's social scene. Austria has always had an interesting beer scene, but now things are really moving. Vienna once had a number of larger industrial breweries, but today only Ottakringer survives. But even the owners at Ottakringer recognize that the scene is evolving, and now the brewery operates a smaller scale facility to try to introduce patrons to new ideas."
Johann Strauss was wandering the cobblestoned streets of Vienna, likely humming an early version of a coming composition, while Anton Dreher was busy perfecting the process that would lead to lagers as we know them today. Dreher had been born into a brewing family. On a research trip to the United Kingdom in the early 1830s, he was exposed to British malting techniques, which allowed the creation of paler malts. He was taken with the idea of combining lighter malts with bottom-fermented brewing techniques. His early efforts were not completely successful, but in 1841, he came upon the one ingredient that had been lacking—cooler fermenting conditions. He built deep cellars and brought in ice to maintain cooler temperatures during the fermenting—or "lagering"—process. Lager-style beers had appeared erratically around Germany and Austria at the time, but Dreher's innovation was to standardize the process. The Vienna lager produced was reddish in tint, with a hint of malty sweetness and minimal hop presence, not unlike some M?rzens. Thanks to the other breweries Dreher and his family owned, Vienna-style lagers soon spread across Europe. By the end of the century, their popularity had been eclipsed by pale lagers. Vienna-style lagers are not encountered with regularity around Europe today, though they have seen growing acceptance among American beer drinkers.
And beers from abroad are making their way to Vienna. "Many brewers are experimenting with British, American, and Belgian beer styles," Martin continued. "Austrian M?rzen—which more resembles a Bavarian helles than a German M?rzen—is still the most popular beer in Vienna, but we're also seeing American-inspired pale ales and IPAs, as well as historic German beer styles (like gose or Berliner weisse). Sours are a relatively new category but are also gaining popularity. I just introduced a Flanders red–style beer, and I've been surprised at the positive response. Techniques like dry hopping and barrel aging are being practiced."
Martin shared a few spots he would include on a beer tour of modern Vienna. "After a tour of the historic Ottakringer Brewery [established in 1837], I might stop at the K?nguruh Pub. They have a great selection of Belgian beer styles and a very knowledgeable staff. Siebensternbr?u would be another place to visit. It's more of a traditional brewpub, with a nice beer garden in the back and traditional Austrian cuisine. [One of the favorites for regular patrons is the hanfbier (hemp beer).] Yppenplatz 4 features the Brauwerk beers from Ottakringer's artisanal efforts. We only do seven barrels per batch, and each beer showcases one of the three main ingredients of brewing. The Belgian blonde is made with sour yeast; a session IPA highlights hops; and a traditional British porter features malt. Yppenplatz also has house-made sausages. The Brickmakers is a tap house that features over thirty carefully selected international beers and pulled pork, spare ribs, and sausages. If you're visiting in summer, you must visit Schweizerhaus. It's famous for its beer garden, which features Budweiser Budvar [from the Czech Republic, not St. Louis] on tap and hearty stelzen. Summer visitors will also want to enjoy a stroll at Donaukanal [a canal that connects to the Danube and flows through the center of town]. The flowing water keeps things nice and cool, and there are countless culinary offerings to enjoy. In December, visitors will enjoy a visit to one of Vienna's many Christkindlmarkts [Christmas markets] to enjoy gluhwein [mulled wine], beer, and food."
Though he makes his living as a brewer, Martin encourages visitors to take in a bit of Vienna's wine culture as well. Vineyards still operate on the city's outskirts, and one has not truly experienced the City of Music until they've sipped a Grüner Veltliner in one of the Heurige. "The classic wine tavern is really an outside sitting area that's connected to a vineyard," he explained. "Only the vineyard's own wine is served." But you shouldn't let the wine tavern owners diminish the significance of beer in Austrian culture. "When the Austrian Independence Treaty was signed in 1955," Martin said, "both wine and beer were served!"
MARTIN SIMION is head brewer at the Ottakringer artisanal brewery in Vienna. Before joining Ottakringer, he was a brewer at Vienna's 1516—one of the city's early brewpubs—and head brewer at Fan? Bryghus in Denmark. Martin is a graduate of Weihenstephan, a branch of the University of Technology Munich, one of the world's leading brewing schools.
If You Go
Getting There: Vienna is served by most major carriers.
Best Time to Visit: Vienna's inside beer venues are thriving year-round, though the warmer months will allow you to stroll the Donaukanal and other outdoor venues.
Spots to Visit: The Ottakringer Brewery (+43 0 1 49 1000; www.ottakringerbrauerei.at); K?nguruh Pub (+43 1 597 38 24; www.kaenguruh-pub.at); Siebensternbr?u (+43 1 523 86 97; www.7stern.at); Yppenplatz 4 (+43 1 4026644; www.yppenplatz4.at); the Brickmakers (+43 019974414; www.brickmakers.at); Schweizerhaus (+43 1 7280152 0; www.schweizerhaus.at).
Accommodations: The Vienna Tourist Board (www.vienna.info) lists a variety of lodging options around the city.